Location Based Services

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There are no "sure things" in mobile gaming, but creating something on a story or concept that has been a blockbuster in other mediums is about as close as you can get. That's the thinking behind Invest+Publish, a developer program launched last month by Mountain View, Calif.-based Midverse Studios. FierceDeveloper talked with Jim Rainey, Midverse Studio's vice president of growth, to get more details on the program.

It might not be a name with which app developers are deeply familiar, but Kevin McGinnis is focusing on making them feel the same level of awareness for Pinsight Media as they have for Sprint. Based in Kansas City, Pinsight Media is a Sprint subsidiary that was designed to help the carrier build new kinds of opportunities in mobile advertising, mobile analytics and mobile commerce. Last year, Pinsight Media grew substantially via the acquisition of Handmark/OneLouder, a former partner that developed both apps and mobile advertising services. McGinnis spoke with FierceDeveloper by phone to explain more about Pinsight Media's genesis and its future.

The idea of location-based services in a retail environment has been around for a while, but iBeacons' use of the Bluetooth LE standard means apps may soon be able to take advantage of indoor or "micro-location" scenarios. This could include not only use cases in stores, but also in museum displays, trail markers in parks, or even in the home. It could also represent Apple's response to those who have wondered if the company would ever adopt Near Field Communications technology in iPhones.

Get in the car. Fasten your seatbelt. Turn on the ignition. Choose an app. That last step may not be typical for the average driver today, but mobile and auto industry experts are suggesting that after a long gestation period, the market for in-car apps is finally about to take off. There is still some question, however, of how many independent app developers will be along for the ride.

Despite widespread concerns among government and privacy experts about the way mobile apps collect and manage users' information, 80 percent of respondents to a research study from mBlox said they would share location data to receive SMS or push notifications.

Consumers show their preferences by what they download from app stores, but what resonates with other developers is not always as easy to identify. With that in mind, FierceDeveloper recently reached out to entrepreneurs across the country and asked them to pick a few titles that set the standard for excellence. This is what they told us.